St Chad's Church, Hopwas
Encyclopedia
St Chad's Church, Hopwas is in the village of Hopwas
, Staffordshire
, England, and in the parish of Tamworth
. It has been designated by English Heritage
as a Grade II listed building, and is an active Anglican
church. The church is in the deanery of Tamworth, the archdeaconry of Lichfield and the diocese of Lichfield
. Its benefice
is combined with those of St Editha, Tamworth
, St Francis, Leyfields, and St Andrew, Kettlebrook.
architect John Douglas
and built in 1881. It is built in red brick with timber framing
in its upper parts, and has a roof of plain tiles. The church is crowned by an octagonal flèche
. Its plan consists of a five-bay nave
and a single-bay chancel
between which is the flèche, with a vestry
to the south and an annex accommodating the organ to the north. Of its design the architectural historian Nikolaus Pevsner
says it is "certainly an ingenious and entertaining building".
Hopwas
Hopwas is a village in Staffordshire, England. It lies just over west of Tamworth and east of Lichfield. It is situated where the A51 road crosses both the River Tame and the Coventry Canal...
, Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
, England, and in the parish of Tamworth
Tamworth
Tamworth is a town and local government district in Staffordshire, England, located north-east of Birmingham city centre and north-west of London. The town takes its name from the River Tame, which flows through the town, as does the River Anker...
. It has been designated by English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
as a Grade II listed building, and is an active Anglican
Anglicanism
Anglicanism is a tradition within Christianity comprising churches with historical connections to the Church of England or similar beliefs, worship and church structures. The word Anglican originates in ecclesia anglicana, a medieval Latin phrase dating to at least 1246 that means the English...
church. The church is in the deanery of Tamworth, the archdeaconry of Lichfield and the diocese of Lichfield
Diocese of Lichfield
The Diocese of Lichfield is a Church of England diocese in the Province of Canterbury, England. The bishop's seat is located in the Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Chad in the city of Lichfield. The diocese covers 4,516 km² The Diocese of Lichfield is a Church of England...
. Its benefice
Benefice
A benefice is a reward received in exchange for services rendered and as a retainer for future services. The term is now almost obsolete.-Church of England:...
is combined with those of St Editha, Tamworth
Church of St Editha, Tamworth
The Church of St Editha is an Anglican parish church and Grade I listed building in Tamworth, Staffordshire, England.-History:The church of St. Editha is the largest medieval parish church in Staffordshire...
, St Francis, Leyfields, and St Andrew, Kettlebrook.
History and architecture
The church was designed by the ChesterChester
Chester is a city in Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77,040 inhabitants, and is the largest and most populous settlement of the wider unitary authority area of Cheshire West and Chester, which had a population of 328,100 according to the...
architect John Douglas
John Douglas (architect)
John Douglas was an English architect who designed about 500 buildings in Cheshire, North Wales, and northwest England, in particular in the estate of Eaton Hall. He was trained in Lancaster and practised throughout his career from an office in Chester, Cheshire...
and built in 1881. It is built in red brick with timber framing
Timber framing
Timber framing , or half-timbering, also called in North America "post-and-beam" construction, is the method of creating structures using heavy squared off and carefully fitted and joined timbers with joints secured by large wooden pegs . It is commonplace in large barns...
in its upper parts, and has a roof of plain tiles. The church is crowned by an octagonal flèche
Flèche
A flèche is used in French architecture to refer to a spire and in English to refer to a lead-covered timber spire, or spirelet. These are placed on the ridges of church or cathedral roofs and are usually relatively small...
. Its plan consists of a five-bay nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
and a single-bay chancel
Chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
between which is the flèche, with a vestry
Vestry
A vestry is a room in or attached to a church or synagogue in which the vestments, vessels, records, etc., are kept , and in which the clergy and choir robe or don their vestments for divine service....
to the south and an annex accommodating the organ to the north. Of its design the architectural historian Nikolaus Pevsner
Nikolaus Pevsner
Sir Nikolaus Bernhard Leon Pevsner, CBE, FBA was a German-born British scholar of history of art and, especially, of history of architecture...
says it is "certainly an ingenious and entertaining building".